Job Description
Employment Specialist
Full time/Permanent
PO1: £43,308pa rising in annual increments to £45,852pa incl. LW
About Us:
Located in the heart of South London, Lambeth Borough is a vibrant community of over 317,600 residents. Stretching from the dynamic neighbourhood of Streatham in the South to the iconic landmarks of Waterloo in the North, we are proud to be the 9th largest borough in London. Our diversity is our strength, with more than 130 languages spoken, making Lambeth the home of the Windrush generation, London's largest LGBTQ+ community, and a thriving Portuguese-speaking community.
It is an exciting time to join Lambeth Council, we have bold ambitions for the future of Lambeth’s communities and residents through our Lambeth 2030 Plan ‘Our Future, Our Lambeth.
With exceptional schools, lush green spaces including Brockwell Park, cultural gems like the Black Cultural Archives, and world-renowned institutions such as St Thomas's Hospital, Lambeth offers an enriching and dynamic environment.
Please have a look at our dedicated One Lambeth Values and Behaviours page.
About the Team:
The Skills and Employment team plays a key role in achieving Lambeth’s ambition that all residents can access high-quality employment support, whatever their circumstances. As economic inactivity rises due to ill health and the cost of living continues to affect financial resilience, our work is more vital than ever. Employment is central to tackling inequality, improving health and wellbeing, and strengthening community resilience.
We are recruiting Employment Specialists to join our
Connect to Work programme, funded by the Department for Work and Pensions. This five-year initiative supports Lambeth residents with disabilities and long-term health conditions into meaningful, sustained employment.
Employment Specialists will work on either the Individual Placement and Support (
IPS) model or the Supported Employment Quality Framework (
SEQF) team. As an Employment Specialist, you will deliver personalised, evidence-based support to a caseload of participants, helping them move quickly into competitive employment and thrive in the workplace.
IPS – Individual Placement and Support
The IPS Team support individuals with mental or physical health conditions (e.g. anxiety, fibromyalgia, arthritis, depression), as well as individuals who fall within the defined disadvantaged groups (e.g. ex-offender, carer/ex-carer, a homeless person, a refugee, a victim/survivor of domestic abuse).
SEQF – Supported Employment Quality Framework
The SEQF Team support individuals with learning disabilities, autism, or complex needs e.g. neurodivergent traits (undiagnosed or non-clinical), cognitive or communication barriers (e.g. struggles to process instructions, retain information, or complete written tasks) co-occurring needs not under clinical care (e.g. individual experiencing homelessness with social anxiety or ex-offender with ADHD, low literacy, no MH diagnosis).
About the Role:
Working within NHS settings and alongside mental health professionals, adult social care teams, and local employers, you will play a key role in transforming lives through work. You will also contribute to fidelity reviews, data reporting, and service improvement across the programme. Previous experience in employment support is not essential; if you have a background in recruitment, sales, account management, or another target-driven, people-focused role, we would love to hear from you. Full training in the IPS and SEQF model will be provided.
To be considered for interview, your CV and supporting statement will clearly evidence:
- A proven track record in delivering employment support, ideally using the IPS or SEQF model
- A strong understanding of the barriers faced by people with disabilities or long-term health conditions—and how employment can play a part in recovery
- Experience of managing a caseload, building trusting client relationships, and delivering high-quality, person-centred support
- Confidence in approaching and engaging employers, advocating for inclusive recruitment, and providing in-work support
- A proactive, strengths-based approach aligned with Lambeth’s values of Equity, Kindness, Accountability, and Ambition
How to Apply:
To be considered for interview, your CV and supporting statement will clearly evidence how you meet the shortlisting criteria on the personal specification marked “A” for application :
JD and Person Specification
Please specify in your Supporting Statement whether you are applying as an Employment Specialist for the IPS Team or the SEQF Team.
We operate an anonymised application process, so be sure to remove personal details when uploading your CV or personal statement.
Recruitment Timelines:
Advert closing date: 11:59pm on Wednesday 15 th April.
Shortlisting: Thursday 16 th April and Friday 17 th April.
Interviews: Monday 27 th April and Tuesday 28 th April.
Please click here to view: Lambeth Staff Benefits
Successful candidates will be asked to apply for an Enhanced/Standard/Basic Certificate from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). Further information about the DBS can be found at www.homeoffice.gov.uk/agencies-public-bodies/dbs
You will be required to undertake a Cifas check.Further information about Cifas can be found here Cifas
Contact Information:
For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Dean Willis, dwillis@lambeth.gov.uk
At Lambeth, we are dedicated to providing quality services and equal opportunities for all. We are committed to safer recruitment and are proud to be a Stonewall diversity champion, a Living Wage Employer, and to guarantee interviews for all disabled candidates who meet the minimum criteria of the role. For a full list of our accreditations, please click here .
